Landfill Gas

Mill Seat Landfill is currently managing more than 3,100 cubic feet per minute of landfill gas. This gas is collected and removed through a series of wells located throughout the landfill. To install a gas well, special equipment is used to drill into the waste and a pipe with holes, surrounded by gravel, is inserted to collect the gas flow. The wells are all connected to a central header pipeline, where the gas is currently channeled to a flare for combustion.

With its relatively high energy content, landfill gas represents a low-cost fuel that can be used to power electrical generators. Managing this byproduct as a “green” energy source offers the opportunity to capitalize on an alternative source of electrical power.

With a large and growing number of beneficial-use gas projects around the country, Waste Management is a nationwide leader in turning landfill gas into electrical power. The company has 124 landfill gas to energy related projects operating in 19 states.